We have many anime and manga lovers in the HUB, which is why we created Anime Academy. Originally, it started out as a monthly anime screening instead of our usual Friday night movie back on March 28th 2014. Now we are only a few days away from our one year anniversary!

The very first anime night we watched Fruits Basket and created shrinky-dinks of our favorite characters. Next we had a Black Butler tea party, which is where we created the name Anime Academy. We also had a program all about making ramen healthy.

The very first official Anime Academy meeting was on July 25th 2014 at the La Corda d’Oro program. Since then, we’ve watched Fairy Tail, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Sailor Moon, and Angel Beats!. Each program has a craft that coincides with the anime we watch. Recently, we started implementing a drawing and language lesson into the meetings that relates to the anime we watch.

We’ve had some very special events, like our Cosplay night back in October. We are hoping to make it even bigger and better this upcoming year.

Just a few days ago, March 21st 2015, we had artist Susan Sieber come host a manga drawing workshop.

Anime Academy has a very loyal following, and is a big part of the HUB. We are always trying to come up with new program ideas and ways to make Anime Academy even better.

In May I will be at ACEN (Anime Central) gathering as much information and new ideas as I can handle.

Anime Academy is something that I love hosting and enjoy immensely. This is a thank you to everyone who has made Anime Academy what it is today. We are looking forward to another amazing year filled with even more anime than the last.

Plague Inc. is a game I recently have come into contact with. The infection of this new addiction must be spread, get the game from the app store, or google play, or the PC version, soon to be on the xbox one. The goal of the game is simple enough. You create a plague (which you get to name, my first plague was stubbedtoe) you have to pick a country to start in, and from there, infect the world. Once you have the world infected you start increasing the symptoms, while strengthening your plague to fight off their work for a cure.

The game is an interesting look at how plagues are spread, certain countries are better to start in for instance. Figuring out how you want your plague to be transmitted, what the symptoms are and how to build the strength of it is quite challenging. It's an addicting game as you can change the type of plague type; you start with a bacteria form, and how it’s transmitted. Right now there is a special Dawn of The Planet of The Apes download that was free on google play. It's a great game for those who have also watched Contagion one too many times, and those who frequent the 614.5 section of non-fiction.

Last Saturday we had a "Making Ramen Healthy" program.
We learned how to take regular ramen like this,

and turn it into this.

How did we do such a thing?
We started with a single serving of noodles (those bags contain two!)

Then we made our way to the awesome veggie table where we had items for the broth like, low sodium soy sauce, milk, low sodium miso paste, and dried seaweed. We also had some very yummy add-in's like, mushrooms, bean sprouts, pepper strips, bamboo shoots, green onion, watercress, fish cakes, and pork.

Then we got to work on cutting up our vegtables!

Then we added some very hot water, added in what we wanted for our broth and then covered it.

After about two minutes, we added in the vegetables and covered it back up for one more minute. Then we removed the tinfoil and Voilà!!

Yummy healthy ramen!

We also learned about the history of Ramen, how it actually originated in China, before coming to Japan and being changed to the ramen we know today. We watched a short video that showed what it is like in an actual Japanese ramen shop.

We had a fun and crazy time making our ramen healthy!

Share in the comments what some of your favorite things to add into ramen are!

Insanity is a gripping page turner, full of suspense. Taking place in Never, Kentucky and the medical facility/mental institution called Lincoln. Lincoln isn’t your average medical facility, the dead never seem to fully rest here. Lincoln is a gateway to the other-side, and might even be a living being itself. Four kids whose lives intertwine are all pulled into Lincoln’s mysterious, sometimes terrifying ways. Together they go on a journey full of ghosts, shades, and other supernatural beings, and find their lives drastically changed.

I found this book to be a thrilling read. I simply couldn’t put it down. The author does a fantastic job of making you connect to the characters. The book is told in four different parts, each part another kid, and all connected. I enjoyed reading the same progressing story line but told through the different points of views, and their own voices.I did think the book could have ended earlier, but I did like the ending the author chose.

For a supernatural read I found this book to be an exciting one. I felt the fear and terror that the characters were feeling. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good ghost story.

Drawings don’t normally move but Katie swears the mysterious Tomohiro’s drawings just did. Katie, an American girl, is a world away from home in Japan, still adjusting to the language barrier and culture gap. When Katie gets involved with the intriguing and sometimes dangerous Tomohiro and his moving drawings, her life changes forever. She is left wondering why the ink is seemingly drawn to her all while learning about Kami (Shinto Gods) and dodging the Yakuza (a Japanese gang).

This is a book full of Japanese mythology, danger, with a dash of romance. As an avid manga reader, I felt like Ink could easily be made into one; as the plot is very similar to many shojo mangas. The book has many images within it that coincides with what you are reading. There are many Japanese words you learn through out Ink (there is a glossary in the back to explain them so don’t worry!). This book is wonderful for those Japanophiles out there. It gives a good look at what life is like living in a foreign country, dealing with the different culture, and their everyday lives.

Ink was a very quick read; it’s very intriguing, and gripping. I thoroughly enjoyed and it and will be purchasing it for my own collection at home. The book does end on a cliffhanger and sadly the next book, Rain, doesn’t come out till June this year (which I have on preorder already).

There is also a prequel to Ink, called Shadow, which is available for free on Amazon!

Hi, I’m, Sonya the new Teen Services Assistant!
I’ve been working at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library for almost five years now, I’m very happy to now be a part of The Hub!

A little about me.

I’m into many different fandoms, like, Supernatural, Doctor Who, and Sherlock (SuperWhoLocked!)

I love working with my hands, I knit, paint, and do many other crafty projects.

I read tons of comic books (any X-men series, and Wonder Woman are my favorites) a lot of manga (Peach Girl was my first series Hot Gimmick was my second which I can reread repeatedly any time) and a lot of anime (Nana is my favorite although I’m watching Rozen Maiden now which is amazing!).
I go to conventions, such as Anime Central and Anime Midwest. I love dressing up as my favorite characters and meeting other people who are into the same things as me.

Please stop by The Hub and talk to me about your favorite comic books, manga, or anime!
See you around ^-^